Britain took home the most gongs of any country at last night's International Emmy awards in New York, collecting six prizes.

The annual event, which was hosted by Graham Norton, saw Ray Winstone named as best actor in Granada's ITV1 drama series Vincent and more UK victories in the children and young people, comedy, documentary, drama series and non-scripted entertainment categories.

Channel 4's Sugar Rush, made by Elisabeth Murdoch's production company Shine, won the children and young people's award while the broadcaster's Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, made by Optomen Television, picked up the non-scripted entertainment award.

The BBC took the comedy gong for Little Britain and best documentary for Hiroshima while its police series Life on Mars, made by independent company Kudos, won best drama series.

By contrast, France, Germany and the Netherlands all won just one award each.

The international Emmy founders award was presented to Steven Spielberg for his television career, which has included ER, Band of Brothers, Taken and the recent Into the West.

The awards, which honour television programmes produced outside the US, are decided by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences which has over 500 members from nearly 70 countries and over 500 companies.

· To contact the MediaGuardian newsdesk email editor@mediatheguardian.com or phone 020 7239 9857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 7278 2332.

· If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".